Comic-Con
July 28
Director Zack Snyder Announces Cast for Highly Anticipated Motion Picture Adaptation of the Seminal Graphic Novel Watchmen at Comic-Con
Malin Akerman, Billy Crudup, Matthew Goode, Jackie Earle Haley, Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Patrick Wilson to Play ‘Masks’
Comic-Con International 2007
Filmmaker Zack Snyder (300), who is set to direct Warner Bros. Pictures’ feature film adaptation of the award-winning graphic novel Watchmen, today announced the cast of the highly anticipated epic before 6,500 fans during a presentation at this year’s Comic-Con International convention in San Diego, California. Watchmen will be produced by Lawrence Gordon (Die Hard), Lloyd Levin (United 93) and Deborah Snyder (300), with Herbert W. Gains serving as executive producer. The film is targeted for a March 6, 2009, release.
Playing the film’s core group of “masks,” the masked adventurers at the center of the story, are Malin Akerman (upcoming The Heartbreak Kid) as Laurie Juspeczyk, aka Silk Spectre; Billy Crudup (The Good Shepherd) as Jon Osterman, aka Dr. Manhattan; Matthew Goode (Match Point) as Adrian Veidt, aka Ozymandias; Jackie Earle Haley (Little Children) as Walter Kovacs, aka Rorschach; Jeffrey Dean Morgan (TV’s Grey’s Anatomy) as Edward Blake, aka the Comedian; and Patrick Wilson (Little Children) as Dan Dreiberg, aka Nite Owl.
A complex, multi-layered mystery adventure, Watchmen is set in an alternate 1985 America in which costumed superheroes are part of the fabric of everyday society, and the “Doomsday Clock” – which charts the USA’s tension with the Soviet Union – is permanently set at five minutes to midnight. When one of his former colleagues is murdered, the washed-up but no less determined masked vigilante Rorschach sets out to uncover a plot to kill and discredit all past and present superheroes. As he reconnects with his former crime-fighting legion – a ragtag group of retired superheroes, only one of whom has true powers – Rorschach glimpses a wide-ranging and disturbing conspiracy with links to their shared past and catastrophic consequences for the future. Their mission is to watch over humanity…but who is watching the watchmen?
Watchmen was originally published by DC Comics as a 12-comic book series between 1986 and 1987, before subsequently being collected into a trade paperback. It is the only graphic novel to win the prestigious Hugo Award or to be named among Time magazine’s “100 Best English Language Novels from 1923 to the Present.”
was originally published by DC Comics as a 12-comic book series between 1986 and 1987, before subsequently being collected into a trade paperback. It is the only graphic novel to win the prestigious Hugo Award or to be named among magazine’s “100 Best English Language Novels from 1923 to the Present.”Warner Bros. Pictures
July 27
Paramount Pictures/ Dreamworks Pictures/ Nickelodeon Movies Unveil Exclusive Footage and Major Casting Announcements at Comic-Con International
J.J. Abrams Announces Two Mr. Spocks for New 'Star Trek' Film: Zachary Quinto and Leonard Nimoy
Steven Spielberg Reveals Return of Karen Allen For Fourth 'Indiana Jones' Film
First Footage of 'Iron Man' Shown by Director John Favreau
World Premiere Trailers For 'Beowulf' and 'Drillbit Taylor'
-- The halls of the San Diego Convention Center were abuzz with the news that came pouring out of the panel today hosted by Paramount Pictures, DreamWorks Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies. Exclusive footage and major casting announcements included:
Director/Producer J.J. Abrams revealed his first casting for the "Star
Trek" adventure: Zachary Quinto (Sylar on "Heroes") will step into the
ears of the young Mr. Spock and veteran Leonard Nimoy will return to the
role he made famous. Both Quinto and Nimoy made surprise appearances and
were greeted with wild applause. Abrams, producers Damon Lindelof and
Bryan Burk and writers Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman answered questions
from the audience. The new "Star Trek" film will be released on Christmas
Day in 2008.
Appearing live via satellite from the set of the new "Indiana Jones"
adventure, director Steven Spielberg and three of his cast members
Harrison Ford, Shia LaBeouf and Ray Winstone discussed the film, and
Spielberg revealed that Karen Allen, the co-star of "Raiders of the Lost
Ark," will be returning for the fourth installment, which debuts over the
Memorial Day weekend 2008.
In another surprise, director Jon Favreau shared world premiere footage
from his upcoming "Iron Man" starring Robert Downey Jr., Terrence Howard,
Jeff Bridges and Gwyneth Paltrow. The action/adventure based on the Marvel
Comic launches the summer season on May 2, 2008.
Paramount Pictures, Shangri-La Entertainment and Warner Bros. hosted the
world premiere trailers, the first, for Robert Zemeckis' epic adventure
"Beowulf," due for release November 16, 2007, which was introduced by the
film's writers Neil Gaiman and Roger Avary. Later in the day, there were
invitation-only screenings of select 3-D footage for "Beowulf."
Producer Judd Apatow and director Steven Brill sent a taped greeting to
introduce the first-ever viewing of the trailer for the Owen Wilson comedy
"Drillbit Taylor," which opens nationally on March 21, 2008.
Other highlights of the afternoon panel included appearances by "Hot Rod"
director Akiva Schaffer and actors Andy Samberg and Jorma Taccone, who
jointly introduced a clip from the film that is due for release August 3,
2007. Neil Gaiman also presented a clip from the film version of his
graphic novel "Stardust," which opens August 10, 2007. The film was
screened at Comic-Con Thursday evening. A trailer from the upcoming "The
Spiderwick Chronicles" was followed by a Q&A with the film's director Mark
Waters, Oscar(R)-winning special effects whiz Phil Tippett and Tony
DiTerlizzi and Holly Black, authors of the "Spiderwick" book series. "The
Spiderwick Chronicles" opens February 15, 2008. And the first poster art
was revealed for Tim Burton's "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet
Street" starring Johnny Depp. "Sweeney Todd" opens December 21, 2007 in
exclusive runs and nationally on January 11, 2008.
About Paramount Pictures Corporation
Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment, is a unit of Viacom (NYSE:VIA) (NYSE:VIA.B) , a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. The company's labels include Paramount Pictures, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, MTV Films, Nickelodeon Movies and DreamWorks Studios. PPC operations also include Paramount Digital Entertainment, Paramount Home Entertainment, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., Paramount Studios, and Worldwide Television Distribution.
About DreamWorks Pictures
DreamWorks Studios was formed in 1994 by Steven Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg, and David Geffen. The company won three consecutive Best Picture Academy Awards with "American Beauty," "Gladiator" and "A Beautiful Mind" (both co-produced with Universal.) Among the company's other successes have been such films as "Saving Private Ryan," "War of the Worlds," "Dreamgirls" (all co-produced with Paramount), and "Blades of Glory." Among its upcoming productions are "Things We Lost in the Fire," "The Kite Runner (distributed by Paramount Classics), and "Sweeney Todd" (co-produced with Warner Bros.)
July 26
STAR TREK: THE ORIGINAL SERIES TRANSPORTS INTO
HOME ENTERTAINMENT’S NEW FRONTIER WITH THE LAUNCH OF SEASON ONE ON HD DVD/DVD COMBO Disc SET
Out of this World 10-Disc Set Featuring Fully Remastered Episodes,
Exclusive HD DVD Interactive Features and Rare On-Set Home Movie Footage Arrives on November 20, 2007
HOLLYWOOD, Calif. – CBS Home Entertainment and Paramount Home Entertainment invite you to experience STAR TREK: The Original Series as never before when the legendary first season arrives for the first time ever in a 10-disc
HD DVD/DVD combo disc set on November 20, 2007. Meticulously remastered from the original camera negative specifically for this high-definition release, each classic episode is presented in pristine condition with state-of-the-art digital visual effects. 1960s special effects have been replaced with 21st century computer-generated imagery to give new depth and atmosphere to various elements including the main title sequence, the galaxy shots frequently seen from the Enterprise’s bridge, the battle scenes, planets and alien ships, some of the matte paintings used as backdrops for new worlds, as well as the Enterprise and other Starships, which have been replaced with state-of-the-art CGI-created ships. The new computer-generated Enterprise is based on the exact measurements of the original model, which now rests in the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.
The refurbished episodes also feature higher quality sound for the famous opening theme. The original score by Emmy® Award-winning composer Alexander Courage has been re-recorded in state-of-the-art digital stereo audio with an orchestra and a female singer belting out the famous vocals. A digitally remastered version of William Shatner’s classic original recording of the 38-word “Space, the final frontier…” monologue continues to open each episode.
In addition, the extraordinary set features true HD audio and exclusive HD DVD interactive features produced by New Wave Entertainment. Interactive menus and a “Starfleet Access” interface will allow viewers to activate icons which provide such features as Picture in Picture video commentaries and an interactive tour of the starship Enterprise. Both the standard definition and high definition presentations also include rare on-set home movie footage, an inside perspective on what it took to transport Trek into the 21st century and much more. Housed in a futuristic clear case, the STAR TREK: The Original Series HD DVD/DVD set will be available for the suggested retail price of $217.99.
STAR TREK: the Original Series is a 10-disc collection presented in the original aspect ratio (1.33:1) screen. The standard definition presentation includes Dolby Digital English 5.1 Surround, LAS Mono and French Mono as well as English, LAS and French subtitles. The HD DVD presentation features English Dolby True HD and LAS Mono with English and LAS subtitles. The DVD is not rated in the U.S. and rated G in Canada.
is a 10-disc collection presented in the original aspect ratio (1.33:1) screen. The standard definition presentation includes Dolby Digital English 5.1 Surround, LAS Mono and French Mono as well as English, LAS and French subtitles. The HD DVD presentation features English Dolby True HD and LAS Mono with English and LAS subtitles. The DVD is not rated in the U.S. and rated G in Canada.Bonus features on the HD DVD side are as follows:
Starfleet Access – On-screen graphical interface allows viewers to access Picture in Picture video commentaries, comparisons of re-mastered vs. original effects, encyclopedic information (science, life forms, technology), episode trivia and more on the following episodes:
Where No Man Has Gone Before
The Menagerie, Part 1
The Menagerie, Part 2
Balance of Terror
The Galileo Seven
Space Seed
Errand of Mercy
Spacelift: Transporting Trek into the 21st Century
From new visual effects to sound, this documentary provides an in-depth exploration of the remastering of classic Star Trek episodes.
Billy Blackburn’s Treasure Chest: Rare Home Movies and Special Memories
Join crew member and “extra-extraordinaire” Billy Blackburn as he shares his own behind-the-scenes home movie footage of life on the set of Star Trek.
Interactive Enterprise Tour
Viewers will explore the Enterprise interior and exterior in detail as they pilot their own shuttlecraft in this spectacular 3D simulated feature.
Perpetual Entertainment’s “Star Trek Online” MMO Game Preview
Bonus features on the standard DVD side are as follows:
Spacelift: Transporting Trek into the 21st Century
The Birth of a Timeless Legacy
Reflections on Spock
Life Beyond Trek: William Shatner
To Boldly Go…Season One
Sci-Fi Visionaries
Billy Blackburn’s Treasure Chest: Rare Home Movies and Special Memories
Kiss & Tell: Romance in the 24th Century
Trek Connections
Star Trek: Beyond the Final Frontier
Episode Preview Trailers
Perpetual Entertainment’s “Star Trek Online” MMO Game Preview
HD DVD offers up to six times the picture resolution of standard DVD, with brighter, sharper and more vivid images and color. HD DVD also offers incredible audio with support for Dolby Digital Plus and Dolby True HD.
CBS Home Entertainment manages the worldwide DVD business for the CBS Corporation across all lines of content including current hits and classic series from the vast CBS library, as well as new releases from Showtime Video. CBS Home Entertainment products are released on the CBS DVD label.
Paramount Home Entertainment (PHE) is part of Paramount Pictures Corporation, a unit of Viacom (NYSE:VIA, VIA.B), a global entertainment company that produces and distributes filmed entertainment through the Paramount Motion Picture Group. PHE is responsible for the worldwide sales, marketing and distribution of home entertainment products on behalf of various parties including: Paramount Pictures, DreamWorks SKG, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central, CBS, PBS and Hasbro and for providing home entertainment fulfillment services for DreamWorks Animation Home Entertainment.
HD DVD is the next generation, post-DVD standard for high capacity, high definition optical discs, approved by the DVD Forum, which develops and defines DVD formats. Its more than 220 strong membership brings together leaders in movies and entertainment, computing, consumer electronics and software. HD DVD is fast becoming the primary visual medium for the age of high-definition TV. The North American HD DVD Promotional Group, Inc. is an organization established to promote the HD DVD format and educate consumers in North America. For more information and a complete listing of HD DVD launch titles please visit http://www.TheLookAndSoundOfPerfect.com.
Visit www.startrek.com to access Star Trek news, product information,
online community and more
# # #
STAR TREK: THE ORIGINAL SERIES Season One HD DVD/DVD
Street Date: November 20, 2007
Pricing: $217.99 U.S.
Runtime: 24 hours, 21 minutes (HD DVD)
24 hours, 20 minutes (DVD)
U.S. Rating: Not rated
Canadian Rating: G
D3PUBLISHER OF AMERICA ANNOUNCES COMPANION COMIC BOOK FOR ITS HIGHLY ANTICIPATED THIRD PERSON ACTION VIDEO GAME DARK SECTOR Comic To Feature The Talents of Fan Favorites Bill Sienkiewicz And David Wohl LOS ANGELES - July 26, 2007 - D3Publisher of America, Inc. (D3PA), a publisher and developer of interactive entertainment software, today announced that it will partner with Top Cow Productions to produce a companion comic book for Dark Sector, its upcoming third person action video game developed by Digital Extremes. Incorporating the heart-pounding intensity of the game, the Dark Sector comic book will provide backstory to the world of the upcoming video game. The Dark Sector comic book will feature cover and interior art from acclaimed comic book creator and artist Bill Sienkiewicz, famous for his work on Elektra: Assassin and New Mutants, and the story line will be penned by esteemed writer, David Wohl, known for work on Witchblade and The Darkness. Developed by acclaimed developer Digital Extremes, co-creators behind the award-winning Epic Games' Unreal franchise, Dark Sector is an all-new and original action-thriller designed exclusively for next-generation consoles. The game thrusts players into the role of Hayden Tenno, an elite black-ops agent sent on a dangerous mission into a decaying Eastern European city that hides a deadly Cold War secret. Attacked by an unknown enemy, he awakens to find part of his body altered by an infection that has granted him inhuman abilities; he must learn to evolve along with his powers, to survive and to become a hero. A dark, gritty experience packed with fast action, incredible superpowers and an engaging story; Dark Sector is anticipated for release in Q1 2008 for the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft.
To Feature The Talents of Fan Favorites Bill Sienkiewicz And David Wohl LOS ANGELES - July 26, 2007 - D3Publisher of America, Inc. (D3PA), a publisher and developer of interactive entertainment software, today announced that it will partner with Top Cow Productions to produce a companion comic book for Dark Sector, its upcoming third person action video game developed by Digital Extremes. Incorporating the heart-pounding intensity of the game, the Dark Sector comic book will provide backstory to the world of the upcoming video game. The Dark Sector comic book will feature cover and interior art from acclaimed comic book creator and artist Bill Sienkiewicz, famous for his work on Elektra: Assassin and New Mutants, and the story line will be penned by esteemed writer, David Wohl, known for work on Witchblade and The Darkness. Developed by acclaimed developer Digital Extremes, co-creators behind the award-winning Epic Games' Unreal franchise, Dark Sector is an all-new and original action-thriller designed exclusively for next-generation consoles. The game thrusts players into the role of Hayden Tenno, an elite black-ops agent sent on a dangerous mission into a decaying Eastern European city that hides a deadly Cold War secret. Attacked by an unknown enemy, he awakens to find part of his body altered by an infection that has granted him inhuman abilities; he must learn to evolve along with his powers, to survive and to become a hero. A dark, gritty experience packed with fast action, incredible superpowers and an engaging story; Dark Sector is anticipated for release in Q1 2008 for the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft.PROFILES IN HISTORY TO EXHIBIT A HUGE ARRAY OFAUTHENTIC SCREEN-USED PROPS, COSTUMES AND ARTWORK AT COMIC CON INTERNATIONAL
Exclusive "Sneak Preview" of Profiles' August 2-3 worldwide auction will include Anakin Skywalker's and McGregor "Obi-Wan Kenobi" light saber, screen-used ET's hands, a Fortress of Solitude crystal, a Kryptonite box, the Facehugger from Aliens, George Clooney's Batman cowl and Freddy Krueger's fedora
WHO: Joseph M. Maddalena, President & CEO of Profiles in History
WHAT: PROFILES IN HISTORY (www.profilesinhistory.com <http://www.profilesinhistory.com>), the world's leading company for the sale of genuine, authentic Hollywood memorabilia will be offering a special treat to Comic Con visitors by displaying a huge array of screen-used Hollywood props and costumes. This is an exclusive sneak preview of their upcoming August 2-3 auction. These are NOT toys or commercially produced promotional merchandise! Highlighted items include Anakin Skywalker's light saber from Star Wars: Episode II-Attack of the Clones, Ewan McGregor "Obi-Wan Kenobi" light saber from Star Wars: Episode 1-The Phantom Menace, screen-used ET hands from ET: The Extra Terrestrial, a Fortress of Solitude crystal from Superman: The Movie, the Kryptonite box from Superman III, the Facehugger prop from Aliens, George Clooney's Batman cowl from Batman & Robin, Freddy Krueger's fedora from A Nightmare on Elm Street III: Dream Warriors, Ridley Scott's crew jacket from Bladerunner, a hero Earth Directorate laser pistol used in Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, the hero Excalibur sword, Lament configuration puzzle box from Hellraiser: Bloodline, a prop gun from Mars Attacks!, David Kelly "Grandpa Joe" goggles from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, John Haymes Newton's Superboy costume and a screen-used Energizer Bunny!
Other Hollywood memorabilia that will be exhibited include props, costume and artwork from films and TV shows including The Star Wars movies, The Superman movies, ET: The Extra Terrestrial, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Frankenstein, Dracula, The Jetsons Movie, Logan's Run, Twilight Zone: The Movie, Aliens, Star Trek, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Lost in Space and Buck Rogers in the 25th Century among others. All these items and many more will be available at Profiles in History's next auction, August 2-3, 2007.
DETAILS: Profiles in History is the world's leading company for Hollywood memorabilia. This is Profiles in History's 4th visit to Comic Con. In recent years, sales by Joe Maddalena and his company, Profiles in History have included the original "Cowardly Lion" costume from The Wizard of Oz for $805,000, the Command Chair and platform from the "U.S.S. Enterprise" ($304,750), the original "Robot" from Lost in Space ($264,500), Luke Skywalker's lightsaber from Star Wars ($195,500), the Black Beauty car from The Green Hornet ($192,000) George Reeves' Superman costume from The Adventures of Superman ($126,500) the H.R. Giger designed Alien creature suit from the film Alien ($126,500), Christopher Reeve's 'Superman' costume from Superman: The Movie. ($115,000) and The Wizard of Oz 'Winkie' Guard Costume ($115,000).
This sneak preview will give Comic Con visitors a taste of the more than 1000 items that Profiles in History will be offering on August 2-3. Worldwide bidding begins at 12:00 noon (PST) both days and bids can be placed either in person, via mail, phone, fax or the Internet via eBay Live Auctions (www.ebayliveauctions.com <http://www.ebayliveauctions.com>). Items that will be available include an original screen-used "General Lee" car from The Dukes of Hazzard TV Show (*$180,000-$220,000), the original "Johnny-Five" robot from Short Circuit and Short Circuit 2 (*$100,000-$150,000), an original Chewbacca head from Star Wars (*$80,000-$100,000), an original Stormtrooper helmet from Star Wars and Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (*$20,000-$30,000), an original Klingon Disruptor from Star Trek (*$20,000-$25,000), a hero laser gun from the Lost in Space TV show (*$20,000-$25,000), The Alien "Space Jockey" miniature, designed and built by H.R. Giger (*$15,000-$20,000), the hero Rocket Plane miniature from the film, X-15 (*$10,000-$15,000), the "Grumpy" figure puppet from Land of the Lost (*$10,000-$12,000), screen-used "E.T." hands from E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (*$8,000-$10,000), aTaun Taun head casting from Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (*$8,000-$10,000), William Shatner's and DeForest Kelley's screen-worn costumes from Star Trek: The Motion Picture (*$4,000-$8,000 each), Harrison Ford's blazer from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (*$10,000-$12,000), Sean Connery's suit from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (*$10,000-$12,000), Freddy vs. Jason "Freddy" AND "Jason" costumes and displays (*$10,000-$12,000 each), George Clooney's screen-used cowl from Batman & Robin (*$6,000-$8,000), Alicia Silverstone's complete Batgirl costume from "Batman & Robin" (*$20,000-$30,000), Chris O'Donnell's Robin torso costume and cape from Batman Forever (*$12,000-$15,000), Robert Englund's screen-worn Freddy Krueger fedora from A Nightmare on Elm Street III: Dream Warriors (*$6,000-$8,000), Robin Williams' full-size costume from Bicentennial Man (*$12,000-$15,000), Ray Park's Headless Horseman costume from Sleepy Hollow (*$4,000-$6,000), John Haymes Newton's Superboy costume (*$3,000-$5,000), Tony Soprano's Chevy Suburban from The Sopranos (*$30,000-$50,000), Tom Cruise "Cole Trickle" stock car from Days of Thunder (*$40,000-$60,000), Uncle Rico's van from Napoleon Dynamite (*$12,000-$15,000) the center rocket from Disneyland's Tomorrowland "Rocket Jets" ride (*$20,000-$30,000),) a pair of Walther PPK pistols used by Roger Moore as 'James Bond' (*$5,000-$10,000 each) and an original screen-used Energizer Bunny (*$6,000-$8,000)!
For more information about Profiles in History and to download a complete catalog of items available for auction on August 2-3, as well as past auction catalogs, please visit www.profilesinhistory.com <http://www.profilesinhistory.com/>.
RENEGADE INVESTIGATORS USE ALIEN TECHNOLOGY TO SOLVE CRIME IN THE U.S. PREMIERE OF BBC AMERICA ’S TORCHWOOD
- An acclaimed new sci-fi drama created by Russell T Davies-
From Russell T Davies, writer of the new Doctor Who series and Queer as Folk, comes Torchwood an action-packed, adrenalin-fuelled new sci-fi series following the adventures of a team of investigators who use alien technology to solve crime. Torchwood premieres Saturday, September 8 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT.
The team, led by the enigmatic, ever-watchful Captain Jack Harkness (John Barrowman, Doctor Who, De-Lovely), uses scavenged alien technology to solve present day crime - both alien and human. They’re separate from the government, outside the police and beyond the United Nations. Torchwood sets its own rules, delving into the unknown and fighting the impossible.
Everyone who works for Torchwood is young, under 35. Some say that's because it's a new science. Others say it's because they die young.
Alongside charismatic Captain Jack is Gwen (Eve Myles). Initially an outsider, her first meeting with the team sparks a burning curiosity to get to the truth, throwing her into an unfamiliar but exciting world. Clear and instinctive, she understands people and is, at times, the group’s conscience. But can she completely separate herself from her normal life?
The rest of the bold and passionate team is made up of charming medic Owen Harper (Burn Gorman), young, hedonistic and utterly brilliant; reserved Toshiko Sato (Naoko Mori) who specialises in computers, surveillance and all things technical; the super-intelligent and intense Suzie Costello (Indira Varma) who has devoted her life to the strange alien artefacts under her control; and Ianto Jones (Gareth David Lloyd) who is far more important than his receptionist role suggests.
From an underground base built on a rift in time and space, the team respond to any alien threat – a meteorite crash landing, sightings of extra-terrestrial technology, an unusual autopsy report, the spread of a deadly alien virus.
Part X-Files, part Angels, Torchwood is the team we’d all love to be part of, where excitement comes before morality and the rules are made as you go along…
For up-to-the-minute information on BBC AMERICA , forthcoming U.S. premieres, art work and news from the channel, log on to www.press.bbcamerica.com.
BBC AMERICA brings audiences a new generation of award-winning television featuring razor-sharp comedies, provocative dramas, life-changing makeovers and news with a uniquely global perspective. BBC AMERICA pushes the boundaries to deliver high quality, highly addictive and eminently watchable programming to viewers who demand more. BBC AMERICA is distributed by Discovery Networks. It is available on digital cable and satellite TV.
For more information about BBC AMERICA visit www.bbcamerica.com
CAST AND PRODUCTION CREDITS
Captain Jack Harkness John Barrowman (Doctor Who, De-Lovely)
Gwen Cooper Eve Myles (Soundproof)
Owen Harper Burn Gorman (Bleak House, Low Winter Sun)
Toshiko Sato Naoko Mori (Absolutely Fabulous, MI-5)
Suzie Costello Indira Varma ( Rome, Canterbury Tales)
Ianto Jones Gareth David Lloyd (Mine all Mine)
Rhys Jones Kai Owen (Rocket Man)
Creator, Lead Writer and
Executive Producer Russell T Davies (Doctor Who, Queer as Folk)
Lead Writer Chris Chibnall (Life on Mars)
Writers Helen Raynor (Brief Encounters)
Peter J Hammond (Wycliffe)
()Toby Whithouse (Hotel Babylon)
()Cath Tregenna (Casualty)
()Andy Rattenbury
Noel Clarke (Doctor Who)
()Directors Brian Kelly ( Sea Of Souls)
Colin Teague ( Holby City)
( )James Strong (Doctor Who, Mile High)
()Alice Troughton (EastEnders)
()Andy Goddard (Hex)
()James Erskine ( Holby City)
( )Ashley Way (Doctor Who)
()Producer Richard Stokes (The Inspector Lynley Mysteries)
Executive Producer Julie Gardner (The Girl in the Café)
WHAT THE BRITISH SAID
“…shaping up to be one of the best programs on TV.” Observer
“There are monsters aplenty, from resurrections of murder victims to an alien addicted to sex…Exciting, spooky stuff.” Sunday Mirror
“…this splendid new Russell T Davies drama…action-crammed…” Daily Express
“…fabulous…Two episodes in and I’m already hooked on this show. It’s got the drama, action, imagination and humour of Doctor Who – plus sex and swearing. How could it fail? Strictly between you and me, I’ve even found myself fancying new recruit Gwen Cooper, the ex-cop.” Daily Star
“…Torchwood has real potential and got off to a cracking start. Imagine Doctor Who but with swearing, lesbian kisses and a bit more gore. Creator Russell T Davies has done a brilliant job.” People
“It not only has a touch of The X Files, but was inspired by Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel…You can certainly see the American influence at work. Torchwood has that glossy feeling about it that we don’t normally associate with British television.” Sunday TimesSunday Times
“It all sounds a bit like a Welsh X-Files, but essentially this is best viewed as the Angel to Doctor Who’s Buffy, a darker, more grown-up drama with added violence, lots of striding through rain-lashed Cardiff streets and some wickedly delivered one-liners. There’s also a wonderful, and very dark, twist towards the end of the first episode. Forget the Doctor for now, some of us are making a date with Jack.” Observer
“…the show’s so good, and its quick-fire dialogue and sets so replete with cross-referential details, that many fans will be back for second helpings…” Mail on Sunday
EPISODE SYNOPSES
Episode one: Everything Changes
When Gwen Cooper, a cop, witnesses the resurrection of a murder victim, it begins her journey into a dangerous underworld of savage monsters and alien hunters. Her chance encounter with the enigmatic Captain Jack Harkness and the Torchwood team will change her life forever.
Premieres Saturday, September 8 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT.
Episode two: Day One
An alien addicted to sex is let loose on Cardiff ’s nightlife, leaving a trail of gruesome deaths in its wake. Captain Jack and Torchwood must track down the creature’s new host and in doing so, confront a violent new form of love in the 21st Century.
Premieres Saturday, September 15 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT.
Episode three: Ghost Machine
When Gwen retrieves an alien object from a fleeing thug, she’s haunted by a vision of a lonely young boy. As the team track down the object’s elusive owner, Owen experiences an even more terrifying vision and a long buried crime resurfaces.
Premieres Saturday, September 22 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT.
Episode four: Cyberwoman
In the basement of the Torchwood building, Ianto Jones hides a terrible secret. As a Japanese doctor attempts to rescue the soul of a half-Cybernised woman (Caroline Chikezie, Footballers Wive$, Brothers and Sisters), a quiet day in Torchwood quickly becomes a living nightmare. Has Ianto unleashed a force that will destroy his colleagues?
Premieres Saturday, September 29 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT.
Episode five: Small Worlds
Supernatural forces stalk the suburbs of Cardiff : but are they friendly or malevolent? And what do they want with the seemingly normal Pierce family? As nightmares of his past haunt Jack, can his old friend Estelle Cole (Eve Pearce) help him prevent the tragedy brewing in a suburban household?
Premieres Saturday, October 6 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT.
Episode six: Countrycide
Concerned that the space-time rift is spreading, Torchwood investigates a series of gruesome deaths in the village of Brynblaidd in the picturesque Welsh Brecon Beacons. What sort of creature could cause such shocking injuries? Stranded without communications or equipment, and isolated from one another, the team confronts a terrifying enemy.
Premieres Saturday, October 13 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT.
Episode seven: Greeks Bearing Gifts
Toshiko is given an alien pendant which enables her to hear other people’s thoughts. As the rest of the Torchwood team puzzle over a centuries-old skeleton, the pendant forces Toshiko to question her commitment to Torchwood: is her new-found ability a blessing or a curse?
Premieres Saturday, October 20 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT.
Episode eight: They Keep Killing Suzie
Torchwood is linked to a series of brutal murders around the city. As Jack and the team investigate further, it becomes clear somebody wants their attention. What is Pilgrim? And how is it connected to a figure from Torchwood’s past? The resurrection days are far from over.
Premieres Saturday, October 27 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT.
Episode nine: Random Shoes
When Eugene (Paul Chequer, Sinchronicity) wakes to find himself (a) dead and (b) invisible to the rest of the world, he knows something has gone wrong. Eugene knows there is one person he can rely on to discover the truth behind his death: Gwen Cooper.
Premieres Saturday, November 3 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT.
Episode ten: Out of Time
When a plane from 1953 makes an unexpected landing in present-day Cardiff , its three passengers are shocked to learn they can never go back to their own time. Torchwood helps them to settle into contemporary society, but this simple task has painful emotional consequences.
Premieres Saturday, November 10 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT.
Episode eleven: Combat
Savage aliens are being kidnapped from the streets of Cardiff and Torchwood wants to know why. Owen is sent undercover to find out who is behind it and soon befriends the charismatic Mark Lynch (Alex Hassell). Beneath the veneer of normal city life, Owen discovers a shocking subculture. Can he avoid being sucked in?
Premieres Saturday, November 17 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT.
Episode twelve: Captain Jack Harkness
While investigating reports of ghostly music, Jack and Toshiko find themselves stranded in a packed dance hall – in 1941. As Gwen, Owen and Ianto work to rescue their colleagues, Jack and Toshiko meet a handsome young American squadron leader by the name of… Captain Jack Harkness.
Premieres Saturday, November 24 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT.
Episode thirteen: End of Days
The rift has been opened, and time is splintering all over the world. As events spiral out of control, the Torchwood team members are faced with fragments of their pasts – and terrifying visions of their futures. Can Captain Jack save the world?
Premieres Saturday, December 1 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT.
ABOUT TORCHWOOD
· Torchwood is an anagram of Doctor Who. When the first season of the new Doctor Who (2005) was being made, television pirates were desperate to acquire the preview tapes. One of the people in the office had the idea of labelling the tapes with the anagram ‘Torchwood’ rather than Doctor Who, as a security measure to disguise the tapes when they were delivered from Cardiff to London . Writer Russell T Davies liked this idea so much that it later inspired him to use it as a title when creating this spin-off series.
· Torchwood was formed in 1879 by the Royal decree of Queen Victoria as a result of her experiences in Doctor Who: Series 2: Tooth & Claw.
· Torchwood is separate from the Government, outside the Police, beyond the United Nations. More secret than MI5 or MI6, not even the Government is supposed to know about them.
· The Torchwood hub is situated deep beneath the Cardiff Millennium Center .
· John Barrowman first appeared as Captain Jack Harness in Episode 9 (The Empty Child) of the first season of Doctor Who. He also appeared in The Doctor Dances, Boom Town , Bad Wolf and The Parting of the Ways in the same season, and again in the episodes Army of Ghosts and Doomsday in the second season.
· John used to present the UK children’s show Live and Kicking in 1993. He has also starred in a number of West End stage musicals.
· The part of Gwen in Torchwood was written specially for Eve Myles. She first appeared as Gwyneth in Episode 3 (The Unquiet Dead) of the first season of Doctor Who.
· Burn Gorman (Owen Harper) received critical acclaim for his hugely popular role of Guppy in the BBC’s award-winning adaptation of Dickens’ Bleak House.
· Naoko Mori (Toshiko Sato) is best known for her role as Saffy’s best friend Sarah (aka Titicaca), in Absolutely Fabulous. She first appeared as Dr. Sato in Episode 4 (Aliens of London) in the first season of Doctor Who.
MEET TORCHWOOD
Captain Jack Harkness
A man with an enigmatic past, Jack leads his team through danger and temptation. The team know very little about this mysterious figure: only that someone with that name disappeared in the middle of the Second World War – but that couldn’t be him, could it? Looks late 30s, but probably much, much older, Jack is from the far future but, for undisclosed reasons, has chosen to head up Torchwood. The heart and soul of the team, Jack is pragmatic and practical – if sacrificing a life to save many is the only option, he’ll take it. Ambivalent to sexual boundaries, Jack’s life remains private.
Suzie Costello
Second-in-charge and an expert in alien hardware, Suzie is conscientious and hard-working. Her focus is to catalog and understand the devices that come into Torchwood’s possession and her enthusiasm borders on an obsession. To Suzie, there is no better job than working for Torchwood – in fact, there is no other job for her.
Gwen Cooper
Gwen’s daily routine as a cop and devoted girlfriend to Rhys is turned upside-down when she encounters Torchwood. Intrigued by her resourcefulness, they make her part of the team. Passionate and driven, Gwen is the first (sometimes only) Torchwood member to see the human side to their work, but will she be able to maintain her ordinary life as she becomes more drawn into Torchwood’s world?
Owen Harper
Owen Harper is Torchwood’s scientist and medic. He’s brilliant, but unfortunately knows it, and is too arrogant to have much consideration for the rules. Owen is charming but also thoughtless and insolent, which sometimes leads him into confrontations with other members of the team.
Toshiko Sato
Quite simply, Tosh is a genius. She specializes in all things technical – from her computer terminal in the Torchwood hub, she can make it look like you never existed. Her love of technology means she is rarely parted from it. This has consequences for her private life, which she ensures remains exactly that – private. Tosh is the least outgoing of the team.
Ianto Jones
Ruthlessly efficient, Ianto holds Torchwood together with his polite and calm exterior, ensuring the rest of the team has everything it needs. And let’s not forget he looks good in a suit. No one could be that restrained all the time, could they?
Rhys
Gwen’s boyfriend is a transport manager. He’s caring and in love with Gwen, but has no knowledge of what her job at Torchwood involves.
AN INTRODUCTION TO TORCHWOOD BY RUSSELL T DAVIES
The Creator, Lead Writer & Executive Producer of Torchwood describes the show.
The Torchwood team is a small group of cops and investigators who use alien technology in a very real world. All the bits of future technology that fall to Earth are captured, scavenged, plundered by the Government, and Torchwood finds ways to use them. A very British operation, away from the prying eyes of America and the UN.
Everyone who works for Torchwood is young, under 35. Some say that's because it's a new science. Others say it's because they die young.
It’s bleak, brutally funny, full of all the sex and swearing that usually gets cut from sci-fi. And the sci-fi is very ‘real’. Few alien creatures in themselves - though if they appear, they’re not the Moxx of Balhoon, they’re nightmarish and savage and profoundly strange.
There’s minimal CGI, with the occasional blow-out to take people by surprise. But it should feel different to the usual sci-fi stuff - this show doesn’t need gorgeous spaceships, it needs to manipulate the texture of the picture, as Jacob’s Ladder once did, to frighten in all sorts of new ways.
The whole show picks up that feel - rough, wild, with a hefty dose of Shameless. And with that show’s sense of humor! Reflected in the scripts as well - The X Files meets This Life.
The series consists of one-off stories - using alien tech to investigate human crimes; to investigate alien happenings amongst ordinary people; and to research new alien devices in themselves. But stories about the central characters are continuous throughout - affairs between team members, traitors, sinister bosses, the misuse of their powers, and then even more affairs - so that the 13 episodes have a shape and an arc.
The Torchwood team first appear in Doctor Who, and spin off into this series - though the link isn’t too heavy, since this is for a very different audience.
A dark, clever, wild, crime/sci-fi paranoid thriller cop-show. What else is television for?!
INTERVIEW - JOHN BARROWMAN
John Barrowman didn’t need a Tardis (Doctor Who’s famous spacecraft and time machine) to take him into space. All it took was the news that Captain Jack Harkness would be getting his own show and he was over the moon.
When viewers last saw Captain Jack in Doctor Who, he was stranded on a satellite many thousands of years in the future. He had heroically faced down a Dalek invasion to protect his new friends, The Doctor and Rose – but his fate was unknown.
Now Jack is back, and in Russell T Davies’s dark and sexy sci-fi thriller the Time Agent from the 51st Century is at the helm of Torchwood, an elite, alien-fighting organization on the front line in the battle to protect the human race.
“Jack heads up a team of secret agents who are separate from the Government, outside police jurisdiction and beyond the United Nations. At Torchwood, they answer to no one but themselves. They make their own rules,” explains John Barrowman, who plays the enigmatic action man with the mysterious past.
“Jack’s the leader and the glue – he keeps everyone together. He’s the hero … although I don’t think he’d call himself a hero, he’d just call himself a man who does the job because it needs doing.”
But, says the actor, the journey from his terrifying Dalek encounter to 21st-Century Cardiff – home of the hub, Torchwood’s top-secret HQ – has left its mark on Jack. “Jack’s a little bit darker and he’s a little bit angrier than when we last saw him. After all, he was ditched on that satellite and who wouldn’t be angry about that?” he says.
“Towards the end of Doctor Who, Jack was becoming more human – I mean human in the sense that he was starting to feel for other people rather than just thinking about himself. As Torchwood begins, he’s lost some of that. He doesn’t always consider other people’s feelings – his priority is the good of the world.”
Some things, however, never change. “He’s still fun, he still has his dry sense of humor and I think he’s still sexy,” says the actor, revealing that Jack is back to his old tricks, putting his moves on everyone and, well, everything. “It doesn’t have to have a pulse for Jack to fancy it. And if it’s got a zip code, he’ll sleep with it,” he quips.
For John (38), making Torchwood has been a huge thrill. “When Russell T Davies and Julie Gardner and I first sat down to talk about giving Captain Jack his own series, I was completely bowled over. It was a childhood dream to be a character in Doctor Who, so to have my own series was just unimaginable.
“I’m a grown man who gets to go to work every day and fight aliens, play with guns and kiss beautiful people – what more could I ask for?”
Born in Glasgow , John moved to Joliet , Illinois , with his family when he was eight years old. At high school, he starred in an end-of-term musical and never looked back. On a visit to the UK in 1989, he chanced upon an open audition for a West End production of Anything Goes and, after wowing leading lady Elaine Paige, was plucked from obscurity to star in the Cole Porter classic. Acclaimed roles in a string of hit musicals followed, including Miss Saigon, Phantom Of The Opera, Sunset Boulevard and Beauty And The Beast.
The actor has also appeared in the BBC kids’ show Live And Kicking, the 2004 film De-Lovely, celebrity reality show Dancing On Ice and, most recently, as a judge on the BBC series How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?, the search for a new London West End star for The Sound of Music.
A life-long fan of Doctor Who, John admits that his home is stuffed with Captain Jack memorabilia, including his racy leather trousers, squareness gun and the bullets he aimed at the Daleks when we last saw him.
It’s no surprise, then, that he was every bit as eager to find out more about Jack as the Time Agent’s fans (or “Woodies” as John dubs them). “When we first met Jack last year, he was a bit of a rogue, an intergalactic con man who had become that way because of something in his past. Two years of his life had been wiped from his memory and he had no idea why or what went on. Now he’s on a mission to find out more about himself,” he explains. And there’s no better place to do that than Torchwood, which is located on a rift in time and space in modern-day Cardiff .
“Jack’s not a time traveler, he’s a Time Agent and he can only travel through time with the assistance of someone like The Doctor. Now, Cardiff has this rift in it and so it’s one of the places the Tardis is likely to return to, so Jack is just waiting. He never leaves, he never sleeps,” says John.
It can be a lonely existence but Jack does find someone to confide in. “Jack gets on with everyone in Torchwood but the only person who knows anything about him is Gwen. Gwen comes in and she brings something new to the team – she brings heart. And, for some reason, Jack starts to reveal things to her.”
But even Gwen and Jack have their disagreements, he admits. “Every now and then there are major in-house battles. There are always tensions bubbling away because they’re facing life-or-death situations every day. Sometimes Jack gets very angry because the team doesn’t understand why he’s doing what he’s doing. But Jack has seen Earth’s future and he knows that the 21st Century is when it all changes – and they’ve got to be ready.”
Cardiff’s space-time rift is the key, reveals John, because it acts as a gateway to Earth for a bone-chilling procession of aliens, including the Weevils, a race of wolf-like creatures that live in the city’s sewers. “The Weevils are one freaky bunch of aliens,” he chuckles. “And every once in a while a Weevil goes rogue and attacks. That’s when we have to step in because they can be mighty vicious.”
Sewer-dwelling aliens aside, John loves working in Cardiff and has even bought a house overlooking the bay, which he shares with his partner, architect Scott Gill, and their two cocker spaniels, Penny and Lewis. “When you see Cardiff on film, it looks like LA; it looks amazing,” he says. “I’ve seen the first episode and Cardiff surprised even me. I think a lot of people are going to want to come here, not just because of Torchwood but because it’s such a great place – it’s buzzing every single day and it’s beautiful.”
John is hoping to find the time to give his family a guided tour of the state-of-the art BBC studio complex where Torchwood is filmed. “It’s a great place to work,” says John. “Doctor Who is filmed there, too, and the Tardis and the Hub are right next to each other – the only thing that separates us is a curtain. We all arrive at work and go off to our separate areas and then we have a big shared lunch place. So you might sit down with your salad next to a Weevil or share a pizza with a Dalek … that’s pretty normal for us,” he laughs.
But not everyone shares the actor’s enthusiasm for the BBC canteen. In fact, it was all a bit much for one little boy, the son of one of the Torchwood crew, who recently accompanied his dad to work.
John explains: “We were having lunch and suddenly this very recognizable alien walked by and the child just freaked out. He screamed and his dad grabbed his hand and said, ‘You’ll be fine – you’re with me’. But the kid shouted: ‘No! You can’t do anything – I have to be with Jack!’ He literally ran over, grabbed onto my leg and wouldn’t let go. And the poor old alien was only going outside to have a cup of coffee and a cigarette!”
HD DVD Goes Big at Comic-Con 2007: Hit Movies, Blockbuster TV Shows, and a Price Drop on the Xbox 360 HD DVD Player
Movie and TV fans get first look at Heroes: Season 1, 300, and STAR TREK: The Original Series on HD DVD
-- The HD DVD Promotional Group today announced at Comic-Con International 2007 that companies supporting HD DVD showcased some of the most anticipated movie and TV titles for fantasy and sci-fi fans, including Heroes: Season 1 from Universal Studios Home Entertainment, 300 from Warner Home Video, and STAR TREK: The Original Series from CBS Home Entertainment and Paramount Home Entertainment. Microsoft Corp. announced that it would reduce the price of its popular Xbox 360 HD DVD Player in the United States to $179, as well as adding five free HD DVD movies with the purchase of every player.
"HD DVD is the format of choice for great sci-fi content, from movies and hit TV shows to the classics," said Ken Graffeo, co-president of the HD DVD Promotional Group. "Heroes: Season 1 and the original Star Trek series are only available on HD DVD, and blockbuster titles such as 300 have interactive features you can only find here. HD DVD is the format that caters to the fan base."
Heroes: Season 1, available August 28th, 2007 from Universal Studios Home Entertainment, will offer exclusive features only on HD DVD, including a web-enabled Download Center, a Heroes Abilities Test, The Helix Revealed, Character Connections and Picture-in-Picture Commentary. The seven-disc HD DVD set provides a personal experience for viewers of television's hottest must-see series and immerses them in the program. The exclusive interactive features showcase HD DVD web-connectivity which is a first for Universal and only the second title to include this new feature. HD DVD is the only high definition format that offers web connectivity today. The boxed set will retail for $99.98.
To drive more attention to the Heroes: Season 1 HD DVD boxed set, Xbox LIVE will offer the show's pilot episode to its members for free for a limited time, courtesy of Xbox and Universal Studios Home Entertainment. Members will also be able to download trailers, teaser scenes and other promotional materials highlighting the Heroes: Season 1 boxed set on HD DVD. Xbox LIVE will also offer 300 on demand in HD starting August 14th, 2007 and is working with Warner Bros. on a "Bringing it Home" cross-promotional campaign.
To further sweeten the deal for Xbox 360 owners, Microsoft announced a price reduction on the Xbox 360 HD DVD Player in the United States to $179 effective August 1, keeping the player as the most affordable high definition drive on the market. In addition to the price drop, Microsoft is extending the highly successful "Perfect Offer" of five free HD DVD discs to Xbox 360 consumers. Previously exclusive to Toshiba HD DVD Players, with the purchase of an Xbox 360 HD DVD Player at the new low price of $179, consumers can choose five HD DVD titles for free from a selection of 15 popular titles via a mail-in offer.
For fans of the original Star Trek series, CBS Home Entertainment and Paramount Home Entertainment announced the upcoming release of STAR TREK: The Original Series in a 10-disc HD DVD/DVD combo disc set. The completely remastered edition goes where no fan has gone before with pristine HD audio and video, and exclusive HD DVD interactive features including picture-in-picture video commentaries and an in-depth tour of the starship Enterprise. The combo disc format offers a high definition version on one side for playback on any HD DVD player, and a standard DVD version on the other side for playback on any DVD player. This historic boxed set goes on sale in time for the holidays on November 20, 2007 for the suggested retail price of $199.00.
About HD DVD
HD DVD is the next generation, post-DVD standard for high capacity, high definition optical discs, approved by the DVD Forum, which develops and defines DVD formats. Its more than 220 strong membership brings together leaders in movies and entertainment, computing, consumer electronics and software. HD DVD is fast becoming the primary visual medium for the age of high-definition TV. The North American HD DVD Promotional Group, Inc. is an organization established to promote the HD DVD format and educate consumers in North America. For more information and a complete listing of HD DVD launch titles please visit http://www.thelookandsoundofperfect.com/.
The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
Source: HD DVD Promotional Group
Web site: http://www.thelookandsoundofperfect.com/
Lucasfilm Ltd. and Get Solo(TM) Introduce Star Wars(TM) Social Networking Cards
Fans Identify with Revolutionary Contact Cards Introduced at Comic-Con International
-- For 30 years, Star Wars fans have escaped the confines of this galaxy by living in the virtual world born from the mind of filmmaker George Lucas. Today at Comic-Con International: San Diego, Lucasfilm Ltd. and Get Solo, LLC announced they have joined forces to help enthusiasts express their passion for the saga by creating personalized Star Wars Social Networking Cards that fans can proudly exchange. Get Solo, a provider of innovative marketing media and solutions, is taking orders for the cards starting today at starwars.getsolo.com.
"Millions of people of all ages have a deep bond with the characters and stories of Star Wars. These new products are unique, because they capture that personal connection. Fans will find the social networking cards to be a fun way to express themselves when meeting other fans, because they can personalize them with their favorite Star Wars images, include interesting personal information, and even build a collection," says Howard Roffman, President of Lucas Licensing.
Fun and Convenient Personal ID
Star Wars Social Networking Cards provide a stunning and more personal alternative to traditional business cards for true fans who want their own customized 'calling card'. Cards can be tailored by selecting from 75 full- color images for the front, and can be personalized to include interesting facts and personal contact information. Fans can create cards for themselves, and as a gift for a friend or a family member. They can be exchanged at events, parties and school to make new friends and promote oneself, or even one's virtual self. For online networking, an electronic card is included for free with every order.
"The event season is hot right now, and we can see why fans will be very excited to get and hand out their cards. Hundreds of thousands of people attend events like Star Wars Celebration IV, Celebration Europe and Comic-Con International every year, because they love to meet other fans. Most keep in touch long after the show is over, and cards like these are a fun and convenient way to make those new friends," says Mary Franklin, Events Manager at Lucasfilm.
Bridging the Online and Offline Gap
The internet is teeming with ways to express oneself. E-mail, blogs, instant messaging, MySpace.com, YouTube.com and other innovations have created a new foundation for free speech and broadcasting. Social Networking Cards from Get Solo are a perfect way to take that phenomenon offline, and to promote favorite online links or share key information with others. For fans who participate in reality games, cards can even be created for their characters or avatars.
"Online, there are many ways to promote, build and join a social network. However, people told us that when they meet, they want a more convenient way to drive people to their favorite web destinations, and to invite others to join their social networks. The desire to bridge that gap is what drove us to create Star Wars Social Networking Cards. Fans are incredibly excited," according to Ashesh Shah, founder and Chairman of Get Solo.
Regardless of one's online passions, one thing is true -- interaction with others is what makes the experience the most vibrant. Voicing personal opinions, sharing information and demonstrating creative flair requires an audience and feedback to be fulfilling. That need for a community is exactly why social networking is so hot. With these new cards, now people can experience that thrill every time they meet someone in person.
Available Now
Star Wars Social Networking Cards are available in quantities of 100, 500 and 1,000 for as little as $29.99 (shipped). To order cards, visit: starwars.getsolo.com.
About Lucasfilm Ltd.
Lucasfilm Ltd. is one of the world's leading movie and entertainment companies. Founded by George Lucas in 1971, it is a privately held, fully integrated entertainment company. In addition to its motion-picture and television production operations, the company's global activities include Industrial Light & Magic and Skywalker Sound; LucasArts; Lucasfilm Animation; and Lucas Licensing. Additionally, Lucas Online creates Internet-based content for Lucasfilm's entertainment properties and businesses.
About Get Solo, LLC
Get Solo is a privately held company that provides unique marketing solutions and member services for organizations. Get Solo is revolutionizing how personal business is conducted, by providing fun and convenient ways to identify oneself and exchange personal information. With its innovative technology and marketing expertise, Get Solo can help organizations create unique social networking, promotional and loyalty marketing solutions that build brand awareness and drive revenue.
Source: Get Solo, LLC
CONTACT: Jessy Adams, FD, for Get Solo, +1-212-850-5684, or
Jessy.adams@fd.com
Web site: http://starwars.getsolo.com/StarWars
Spike TV Partners With Comic-Con to Announce Second Annual SCREAM 2007
San Diego Convention (July 26-29) Featured "Frack The Oscars!" Panel Session Moderated By Henry Rollins With Linda Blair, Mark Burg, Sid Haig and Robert Kirkman; Special Guest Appearance By Neil Gaiman, SCREAM 2007's "Comic-Con Icon Award" Recipient
SCREAM 2007 Will Tape October 19 At The Greek Theatre In Los Angeles
This October, a full moon will be out when Spike TV presents the second annual televised SCREAM 2007, a two-hour event honoring the best in the Horror, Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Comic genres. At the San Diego Convention today, Spike TV partnered with Comic-Con to announce the "Comic-Con Icon Award" as well as this year's location and tape date for SCREAM 2007.
Today, Spike TV held a SCREAM 2007 panel session moderated by musician, actor and poet Henry Rollins, which featured Linda Blair ("The Exorcist"), Mark Burg ("Saw" franchise producer), Sid Haig ("The Devil's Rejects") and comic book writer Robert Kirkman. The discussion focused on the long overdue need to honor the creative talent behind Horror, Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Comic genres that drive pop culture and the box office. A special guest appearance was also made by one of the top writers in modern comics, Neil Gaiman, the new recipient of SCREAM 2007's "Comic-Con Icon Award." To see all the action from Spike TV's SCREAM 2007 panel at Comic-Con, viewers can log-on to ifilm.com and spiketv.com.
"I'm thrilled to announce the return of SCREAM and our continuing partnership with Comic-Con International," said Casey Patterson, Executive Producer and Senior Vice President, Event Production for Spike TV. "Together with Comic-Con we're honored to announce Neil Gaiman as The 2007 recipient of the Comic-Con Icon Award, which will be presented on the Scream 2007 telecast. Scream was one of the most successful events in Spike TV history and this year's show will feature more world premieres, fan generated award categories, the biggest stars from the horror, sci-fi, fantasy and comic book genres and killer musical performances. Scream 2007 will tape on October 19th under a full moon at The Greek Theater in Los Angeles."
Upon receiving the "Comic-Con Icon Award," Gaiman said, "Good to know I'm an icon. Maybe they'll make little dolls of me and put it on their dashboards!"
Additional highlights of Spike TV's participation at Comic-Con from July 26-29 include a SCREAM 2007 booth offering autograph sessions with Blair, 10 autographed Stan Lee Hasbro Figure sweepstakes and premium giveaways every hour. In addition, Spike TV will be holding a casting call everyday from 1-3 PM at the booth for people in costume to get the chance to win tickets to the upcoming SCREAM 2007 taping. Dimpy Sethi, head costume designer for SCREAM 2007, will serve as judge. This contest will also be filmed for an upcoming episode of SpikeTV.com's original digital series, "Geek-Ray Vision." This series brings viewers a weekly inside scoop on the coolest films, music, gadgets, comic books and video games from the hottest geek locations.
SCREAM 2006 was the first event to pay homage to the multi-billion dollar horror, sci-fi and fantasy industries. Hosted by Rosario Dawson, Rose McGowen and Marley Shelton -- the women of Quentin Tarantino/Robert Rodriguez's horror film "Grindhouse" -- SCREAM 2006 was the #1 rated awards show launch in Spike TV history. The event was also #1 with Men 18-34 in all of broadcast and cable in it's time period.
Spike TV is available in 91.6 million homes and is a division of MTV Networks. A unit of Viacom (NYSE:VIA) (NYSE:VIA.B) , MTV Networks is one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms.
Source: Spike TV
Web site: http://www.spiketv.com/
http://ifilm.com/
UNIVERSAL STUDIOS CONSUMER PRODUCTS GROUP
ANNOUNCES HEROES LICENSING PARTNERS
Product Tied to Television's #1 New Series to Release in Q3/Q4 2007
Universal Studios Consumer Products Group today announced the first partners tapped to create product based on Heroes, the #1 new series on television for the 2006-2007 season. The group named industry leaders DC Comics, Random House, Mezco Toyz, Topps and others to lead the charge across a full range of product categories. Starting with an extensive publishing program, trading cards, apparel, stationery/social expression, action figures and an interactive game, initial Heroes product will begin to appear on store shelves in time for the new season launch on NBC Sept. 24, 2007, and shortly after the launch of Season 1 on DVD and HD DVD on Aug. 28, 2007.
"Heroes is an unbelievable breakout hit and one of the most popular series in NBC's history," said Cindy Chang, Vice President of Global Business Development, Universal Studios Consumer Products Group. "There is a dedicated fanbase out there who has proven through various online applications to have a strong hunger for Heroes beyond the TV screen, and this new merchandising program will provide them with a fulfilling Heroes experience."
"We are very pleased to announce this very select group of heroic partners. With every Heroes branded product, we hope to immerse our fans in the world of their favorite show," said Tim Kring, creator-executive producer, Heroes.
The Heroes merchandising line will capitalize on the rich storylines seen in the popular series, and in some instances, extend the story beyond what is seen on television.
The publishing category is the cornerstone of the early licensing program. Expanding on the comic book lore created by the series, DC Comics will develop a hardcover compilation book of the popular online Heroes graphic novels currently available on NBC.com. The new book, which is slated to be available worldwide this fall, will also include the original Tim Sale artwork as seen on the show, offering fans a one-of-a-kind entertainment collectible. Random House will introduce "Saving Charlie," an original novel based on the characters Hiro and Charlie created by Tim Kring. The story is scheduled for release in late 2007. Finally, Titan Publishing will launch the official Heroes magazine. A bi-monthly publication uniquely presented in comic book style, the magazine will lift the lid on the lives of the stars of the show, from the actors and actresses to the back room special effects experts.
In addition to the publishing program, Universal has named several top-tier partners to create product for release this fall and winter in the U.S. and Canada. Trading card manufacturer Topps has been tapped for a full line of trading cards featuring the Heroes characters and in-depth episodic coverage. The trading card packs will also include randomly inserted one-of-a-kind rare cards such as autographs, hand-drawn artist sketches and cards embedded with a piece of actual costume material worn on the show. WizKids Inc., a subsidiary of Topps and creator of the award-winning "Clix" Collectible Miniatures Game system, will be adding Heroes into their HeroClix line, which already includes characters from the DC, Marvel and Dark Horse universes. MeadWestvaco will introduce a 2008 calendar, and Scorpio Posters will add traditional wall posters to the merchandising mix. In addition, Changes will develop an officially licensed Heroes apparel line.
Premier collectibles maker, Mezco Toyz will be responsible for developing toys and specialty product including collectible action figures, dioramas and deluxe figures in a variety of scale sizes ranging from 3" to 18", all inspired by the characters and themes from the Heroes universe. Mezco's Heroes product will hit retail in early 2008.
Finally, Universal Pictures Digital Platforms Group and Ubisoft, one of the world's largest video game publishers, are partnering to create an interactive video game based on and inspired by the Heroes universe.
At San Diego International Comic-Con (July 26-29, 2007), fans can learn about the upcoming second season at the Heroes Screening and Panel taking place Saturday, July 28. Fans eager for more information on the forthcoming consumer products may visit NBC's Heroes-themed booth (#3912) or licensee booths including DC Comics (#1915), Mezco Toyz (#4145), Random House (#1135), Titan Publishing (#5437), Topps (#5536) and WizKids (#2743). In addition, Topps and NBC will be distributing new collectible Heroes promotional trading cards at their booths each day of the show while Tim Sale will be signing at the DC Comics booth on Friday, July 27 from 4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. and Saturday, July 28, from 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Random House will celebrate the announcement of its Heroes book by asking fans to help make 1,000 cranes at their booth by the end of the show. Random House will offer prizing for every 100th crane submitted.
Heroes, which airs domestically Mondays at 9:00 p.m. ET on NBC, racked up critical acclaim and became a fan favorite in its first season. Named one of Time magazine's 10 Best U.S. TV shows of 2006, the show scooped up eight Emmy® nominations, two Golden Globe® nominations and also received the 2007 People's Choice Award for Favorite New TV Drama. Season 2 of the series has been picked up by NBC for a full 2007-2008 order, launching Sept. 24, 2007.
On the international front, several licenses have been confirmed with product launching in late 2007. GBEye Limited will launch a series of posters in the UK while Trademark will handle apparel in that territory and Danilo Promotions Ltd. will develop 2008 calendars for both the UK and Ireland. In Italy, Edibas Srl. will unveil a series of calendars, stickers and photo albums later this year while partner ZigZag will launch posters in Germany during the same timeframe.
The Heroes television series has so far been licensed in nearly 150 international territories and began launching with great success in markets across the globe beginning in January 2007. In Australia, it premiered on the Seven network as the #1 program of the day among programs on all channels -- and produced the largest premiere audience in Australia since Lost and Desperate Housewives in 2005.
In the United Kingdom, Heroes delivered the largest audience ever in SCI FI UK's history and is gearing up for its launch on BBC Two this summer. In Spain, it delivered the #1 and #2 highest-rated telecasts in the history of SCI FI Spain, and also ranks as the #1 telecast so far in 2007 of any U.S. series on the FORTA regional channels Canal 2 (Andalusia), TV3 (Catalonia), Telemadrid (Madrid) and Canal 9 (Valencia). Heroes secured another #1 milestone in Singapore as the #1 program of the day on Star World versus all entertainment channels in the territory. Similar success was found in New Zealand, where the series was TV3's highest rated program of the entire week, and Latin America also saw significant time period wins in Brazil, Mexico, Chile and Colombia. Upcoming international premiere launches include Germany and Russia, with additional territories to be announced. Heroes is distributed outside of the U.S. and Canada by NBC Universal International Television Distribution.
Universal Studios Consumer Products Group is further developing the Heroes product line and is seeking licensing partners across a range of additional categories, including headwear, fashion bags and other accessories; fine art; games; collectible figures; novelty items; and more. New licensing partners will be announced by Universal in the near future.
SERIES SYNOPSIS
From creator/writer Tim Kring (NBC's "Crossing Jordan") comes the Emmy and Golden Globe nominated "Heroes," (Mondays 9-10 p.m. ET on NBC) an epic drama that chronicles the lives of ordinary people who discover they possess extraordinary abilities. In its first season, "Heroes" was honored with a People's Choice Award, an AFI Award, a Multicultural Prism Award and this year's TV Land Future Classic Award, as well as nominations at the Golden Globe Awards, NAACP Image Awards, WGA Awards and Satellite Awards.
As a total eclipse casts its shadow across the globe, a genetics professor (Sendhil Ramamurthy, "Blind Guy Driving") in India is led by his father's murder to uncover a secret theory -- there are people with super powers living among us. A young dreamer (Milo Ventimiglia, "Gilmore Girls") who tries to convince his politician brother (Adrian Pasdar, "Judging Amy") that he can fly. A high school cheerleader (Hayden Panettiere, "Ice Princess") learns that she is totally indestructible while trying to relate to her father (Jack Coleman, "Dynasty") who has a keen interest in people with special abilities. A Las Vegas single mother (Ali Larter, "Final Destination") struggles to make ends meet to support her young son (Noah Gray-Cabey, "My Wife & Kids") and discovers that her mirror image has a secret. A fugitive from justice (Leonard Roberts, "Buffy the Vampire Slayer") continues to baffle authorities who twice have been unable to contain him. A gifted artist (Santiago Cabrera, "Empire"), whose drug addiction is destroying his life and relationship with his girlfriend (Tawny Cypress, NBC's "Third Watch"), can paint the future. A down-on-his-luck Los Angeles beat cop (Greg Grunberg, "Alias") can hear people's thoughts, which puts him on the trail of an elusive serial killer. In Japan, a young man (Masi Oka, NBC's "Scrubs") develops a way to stop time through sheer will power. Their ultimate destiny is nothing less than saving the world.
Joining Kring as executive producer are Dennis Hammer (NBC's "Crossing Jordan"), Allan Arkush (NBC's "Crossing Jordan") and Greg Beeman ("Smallville"). The drama is produced by Universal Media Studios in association with Tailwind Productions.
About Universal Studios Consumer Products Group
Universal Studios Consumer Products Group is responsible for global licensing and retail strategies as well as building brand recognition of the extensive catalogue of NBC Universal properties. Universal Studios Consumer Products Group is a unit of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. Formed in May 2004 through the combining of NBC and Vivendi Universal Entertainment, NBC Universal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, and world-renowned theme parks. NBC Universal is 80%-owned by General Electric, with 20% owned by Vivendi.
July 24
Cartoon Network’s Massively Multiplayer Online Game Unveils Playable Demo at Comic-Con 2007
Event-Goers to Get First Look at Cartoon Network Universe: FusionFall
FusionFall Producers and Designers Present Latest Information at Thursday Evening Panel
Producers and Designers Present Latest Information at Thursday Evening PanelComic-Con International 2007
Cartoon Network’s first massively multi-player online game (MMOG), Cartoon Network Universe: FusionFall, has its debut at Comic-Con 2007 in San Diego, beginning Wednesday, July 25. Scheduled for a summer 2008 release, the game will have playable demos at Cartoon Network’s booth on the Comic-Con show floor. In addition, a panel of FusionFall creators will provide an in-depth look at the game at Comic-Con on Thursday, July 26 at 5:00 p.m. (PT) in Room 3 of the San Diego Convention Center.
FusionFall is an MMOG set in a re-imagined Cartoon Network universe. As a kid in this world, players will team up with other players and Cartoon Network characters to defend it from an alien invasion of epic proportions. The game is a mix of all the action of a 3-D console platform game and all the customization, character development and open-ended world exploration of an MMORPG (massively multi-player online role-playing game). In addition, small, super-deformed versions of Cartoon Network characters are collected along the way and travel with players, providing powers and abilities to assist during missions.
is an MMOG set in a re-imagined Cartoon Network universe. As a kid in this world, players will team up with other players and Cartoon Network characters to defend it from an alien invasion of epic proportions. The game is a mix of all the action of a 3-D console platform game and all the customization, character development and open-ended world exploration of an MMORPG (massively multi-player online role-playing game). In addition, small, super-deformed versions of Cartoon Network characters are collected along the way and travel with players, providing powers and abilities to assist during missions.“We’re thrilled to present a first look at FusionFall at this year’s Comic-Con,” said Paul Condolora, senior vice president and general manager of Cartoon Network New Media. “Our current offering of online games continues to be the main driver of Cartoon Network New Media’s success, and we’ve surpassed 2 billion game plays annually for the past three years. FusionFall fulfills our goal of increasing the range of game play we offer, and we expect it to significantly expand our audience.”
“One of the things we’re most excited about in FusionFall is the game play,” said Chris Waldron, executive producer of FusionFall. “With our audience and Cartoon Network characters, we knew we wanted to create a new kind of MMOG and develop a game that takes all the great action of popular console games and merges it with all the elements of MMORPGs that are so enticing to players.”
The development of FusionFall is a first for the industry. Created through a partnership with leading Korean MMOG developer, Grigon Entertainment, the game brings Cartoon Network’s beloved characters and sensibility to the fast-growing online gaming realm with an “East-meets-West” creative approach. Grigon Entertainment is best known for successfully developing and launching several online games in Asia, including Seal Online, a light-hearted role-playing game (RPG) that took the online gaming world by surprise.
In addition to the playable demo and panel at Comic-Con, new information can be found at www.fusionfall.com, beginning Wednesday, July 25. News updates, images and game-play footage will be available and users will be able to sign up for the official newsletter and a chance to beta test the game.
About Grigon Entertainment
Grigon Entertainment, one of the most prominent developers in Korea, the world’s online game leader, is renowned for its depth of tradition and talent, and strongly believes and practices the ultimate goal of ‘Games have to be fun!’ Along with the successful launch of Seal Online, which caused sensations in six countries including China, Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, Indonesia and Korea, Grigon Entertainment has developed numerous titles for over eight years varying in all areas of genre (horror, racing, adventure, action, RPG) up to the charming fairytale-based QRing and casual tennis game, Gamebledon. Grigon Entertainment’s titles are highly rated and respected for their technical and design ingenuity, brilliantly incorporating the developers’ wit into the game, hence leading to the creation of “Grigon manias.”
About Cartoon Network New Media
Cartoon Network New Media is responsible for the production of Cartoon Network’s popular Web sites, which include CartoonNetwork.com and CartoonNetworkYa.com (the Spanish-language site for kids). CartoonNetwork.com is one of the most popular entertainment sites in the world for kids, attracting more than 6 million unique users each month (Nielsen NetRatings). Its top attraction is its roster of games, which drew more than 2 billion game plays in 2006.
In addition, Cartoon Network New Media is the creative force behind Cartoon Network’s video-on-demand offerings, interactive TV and mobile offerings, which include partnerships with such major carriers as Sprint, Cingular and Verizon.
About Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network (CartoonNetwork.com), currently seen in more than 91 million U.S. homes and 160 countries around the world, is Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.’s ad-supported cable service offering the best in original, acquired and classic animated entertainment for kids and families. Overnight from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. Monday through Saturday and
10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday (ET, PT), Cartoon Network shares its channel space with Adult Swim, a late-night destination showcasing original and acquired animation for young adults 18-34.
Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, is a major producer of news and entertainment product around the world and the leading provider of programming for the basic cable
July 23
Fox Atomic Announces Presence at San Diego Comic-Con 2007
-- Fox Atomic announced today its plans for the upcoming Comic-Con International Convention in San Diego, CA on July 26-29. The initiatives planned will include signings and giveaways on behalf of the Fox Atomic graphic novels The Nightmare Factory (retails 9/07), 28 Days Later: The Aftermath, and The Hills Have Eyes: The Beginning; an online sweepstakes to win the 1969 Ford Mustang from the film Death Sentence (8/31), starring Kevin Bacon, John Goodman, and Kelly Preston, and directed by James Wan (Saw); and a contest at the Fox Atomic booth where fans enter to win a Fender Stratocaster guitar signed by the cast of The Rocker, which stars Rainn Wilson and Christina Applegate.
On September 4, 2007, Fox Atomic Comics will release The Nightmare Factory, a compilation of short stories based on the work of horror writer Thomas Ligotti. The Nightmare Factory is the third graphic novel to be released by Fox Atomic Comics, the graphic novel publishing arm of the studio that enjoyed glowing reviews and exceptional sales for its debut book 28 Days Later: The Aftermath, written by horror master Steve Niles (30 Days of Night), as well as for their second novel The Hills Have Eyes: The Beginning, written by comics veterans Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray. On hand at the booth throughout the day to discuss these novels will be artists Ben Templesmith, Ted McKeever, and Michael Gaydos, and writers Joe Harris and Stuart Moore (The Nightmare Factory); writer Steve Niles and cover artist Tim Bradstreet (28 Days Later: The Aftermath); and writers Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray (The Hills Have Eyes: The Beginning).
On behalf of Fox Atomic's upcoming film Death Sentence (8/31), Kevin Bacon, Garrett Hedlund, and director James Wan (Saw) will be participating in a booth signing on Saturday, 7/28 at 3 PM. Fox Atomic will also launch an online sweepstakes to win the 1969 Ford Mustang from the film. The contest officially begins when the doors to Comic-Con open on Wednesday, 7/25. Fans can enter to win at the computer kiosks set up at the booth or at the official movie website, http://www.deathsentencemovie.com/, until opening day, 8/31. Moreover, Fox Atomic will release a limited edition poster of the film that will be exclusive to Comic-Con.
In anticipation of the forthcoming film The Rocker, starring Rainn Wilson, Christina Applegate, Josh Gad, Emma Stone, and Jeff Garlin, Fox Atomic will launch a contest at the booth where fans enter to win a Fender Stratocaster guitar signed by the cast. The contest commences when the doors to Comic-Con open on Wednesday, 7/25 and closes when the Convention ends on Sunday, 7/29.
About Fox Atomic
Fox Atomic is a culturally branded entertainment company providing theatrical movies and digital content targeting the 17-24 year old demographic. Their next release will be the sports comedy The Comebacks (October 26th). Atomic also houses a graphic novel division, with distribution through sister company HarperCollins. Their next graphic novel, "The Nightmare Factory," will be released on September 4th. "28 Days Later: The Aftermath," Atomic's first graphic novel, hit shelves on April 3rd. Shortly following was "The Hills Have Eyes: The Beginning" (July '07). Formed in 2006, this new entity of Fox Filmed Entertainment produces and acquires product spanning all media platforms, and various genres.
Source: Fox Atomic
Web site: http://www.foxatomic.com/
http://www.deathsentencemovie.com/
July 20
G4’S COMPREHENSIVE “COMIC-CON ’07 LIVE” DRAWING VIEWERS INSIDE LEGENDARY COMIC BOOK AND POP CULTURE CONVENTION
Exclusive Live Reports from Annual Celebration of Comics, Movies, TV and More Air July 26 and July 27
LOS ANGELES, July 20, 2007 – It isn’t gamma rays, space radiation or a spider’s bite that have turned the once mild-mannered Comic-Con into the ultimate pop culture event. Instead, a recent explosion in comic book popularity has transformed the annual gathering from a modest convention into one of the greatest fan experiences in the known universe. For the second year in a row, G4 will deliver the unique sights and sounds of Comic-Con with live reports that give viewers a first-hand look at this year’s event, including sneak peeks at the most eagerly anticipated films, comics and TV series, exclusive interviews, in-depth reviews and footage from around the jam-packed show floor. Two consecutive days of “Comic-Con ’07 Live” coverage begin Thursday, July 26 from 7 p.m. – 9 p.m. ET/PT, and continue Friday, July 27 from 7 p.m. – 9 p.m. ET/PT, only on G4.
With more than 100,000 attendees in 2006, attendance at this year’s convention is expected to break new records as hordes of eager fans unite in San Diego to experience the ultimate pop culture party. For the millions who can’t travel to the event or don’t make it into the sold-out convention, hosts Kevin Pereira and Olivia Munn will provide a complete Comic-Con overview that provides the scoop on everything from industry trends to the best (and worst) homemade costumes.
Extensive coverage of major presentations guarantees that viewers get an insider’s view of the entire event. “Comic-Con ’07 Live” will also include exclusive interviews with a wide array of celebrities and surprise special guests, including JJ Abrams, Rosario Dawson, Ridley Scott, Zack Snyder, Jessica Alba, Kate Beckinsale, Jon Favreau and “Superbad” stars Michael Cera, Jonah Hill, Christopher Pence and Seth Rogen.
In addition to all the on-air action, g4tv.com will deliver additional Comic-Con interviews, exclusive trailers, photos, news and reviews. Further interactive elements including Video Viewer Mail, live chat rooms and viewer voting will enable viewers to truly become a part of the Comic-Con action. G4’s “Comic-Con ’07 Live” online coverage is available at http://www.g4tv.com/comiccon2007/index.html.
About Comcast Entertainment Group
Based in Los Angeles , recently formed Comcast Entertainment Group operates E! Entertainment Television, the 24-hour network with programming dedicated to the world of entertainment, and E! Online; The Style Network, the destination for women 18-49 with a passion for the best in relatable and inspiring lifestyle programming; and G4 offering the last word on gaming, technology, animation, interactivity, and "Internet culture" for the male 18-34 demo. E! is currently available to more than 90 million cable and direct broadcast satellite subscribers in the United States . In 2006, E! launched the E! Everywhere initiative underscoring the company's dedication to making E! content available on all new media platforms any time and anywhere -- from online to broadband at The Vine @E!Online to wireless to satellite radio to VOD. The Style Network currently counts 57 million cable and satellite subscribers and G4, the #1 podcasted cable network in America , is available in 63 million cable and satellite homes nationwide
